Street-cleaning machine.



W. F. ATKINSON.

I STREET CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7. 1915. RENEWED SEPT. s. 1918.

1,291,634. 1 Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Fig.1. I

W. F. ATKINSON.

STREET CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man OCT. 1, 1915. RENEWED SEPT. 9. 1918.

1,291,634. Patented Jan. 14,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N Fig. ,2,

W/TNESSJ INVENTOR .EA'lkinson' W. F. ATKINSON. STREET CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7. I915. RENEWED SEPT. 9. ms.

1,291,634. Patented Jan. 14, 1 919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESS. M/VE/V TOR 6 WF. Atkinson TOR EV F. ATKINSON.

STREET CLEANING MACHINE.

, APPLICATION FILED 0C,T.. 1, ms. RENEWED SEPT. 9. 191B.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

4 SH,EETSSHEET 4- VII/.000.

WILEY F. ATKINSON, 0F FERRIS, TEXAS.

STREET-CLEANING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14:, 1919.

Application filed October 7, 1915, Serial No. 54,562. Renewed September 9, 1918. Serial No. 253,328.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILEY F. ATKINSON, citizen of the United States, residing at Ferris, in the county of Ellis and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Cleaning Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to an improvement in street cleaners preferably of that type which is self driven or motor propelled and in such connection it relates more particularly to the provision of means whereby as the sweeper is driven through the streets, the dirt is swept up by brushes operated by the main motor and the dirt is elevated un der suction controlled by an auxiliary motor and deposited in bags or similar reseptacles carried by the sweeper and removable therefrom.

In the carrying out of my invention there is first provided asWeeper designed to be motor driven and propelled, the brushes of the sweeper being arranged to sweep the dirt into llttle heaps or piles and second there is provided a suction means carried by the sweeper and operated by an auxiliary motor whereby as the dirt collects in the piles between the co-acting brushes it is sucked or drawn off to suitable bags or receptacles carried by the sweeper and readily removable therefrom and replacable thereon.

My invention therefore consists in the provision of novel means whereby as the machine sweeper is drawn or propelled through the streets, the dirt is brushed into little heaps and in the provision of novel means for sucking or drawing the dirt under suction from the heaps to suitable bags or receptacles which may be removed from the sweeper when full and transferred directly to the cart or dumping wagon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine that will be substantial, durable, efiicient, and camparatively simple in its operation, also one requiring a minimum number of men for its operation, and also in which the several parts will not be likely to get out of working order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has relation to certain novel features of construction and operation, an example of which is described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a street cleaning machine embodying the main features of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, portions being shown as broken away to illustrate underlying parts,

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the machine,

Fig. 4c is a vertical sectional view of the separator and component parts.

Fig. 5 is a central transverse vertical secthe rear axle 3 and projects rearward suf ficiently to support the mechanism located at this point.

A main brush 4 of cylindrical type is stationed under the floor in rear of the axle 3 and disposed at an angle as shown in Fig. 2, so as to sweep or brush the dirt in its path toward the right hand or curb-side of the vehicle at which a gutter brush 5 is located. The brush 5 is cylindrical and is disposed parallel to the side of the vehicle with its rear end in juxtaposition to the rear end of the main brush; said brushes being dis osed in such relation as to constitute a -shaped sweeping elements, the lower partitions of which brushes revolve toward each other. The gutter brush 5 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is placed laterally beyond the wheels 6 of the vehicle so as to efficiently attack the intersection of the curb and gutter and efiectually sweep all dirt and refuse into the street and into the path of the main brush 4.

As the vehicle is propelled along the street the main brush being revolved sweeps the dirt toward the curb while the brush 5 sweeps the dirt from the gutter; the dirt from} these two sources meeting within the zone of a vertical suction pipe 7 having its lower open end between the rear ends of the brushes Or in the crotch of the V-shaped sweeping element. This pipe extends up to the fioor 1 and is bent at substantially right angles and carried under the floor to the opposite side of the vehicle, where it is turned upward through the floor and again bent at right angles at the proper elevation to be extended forward and bent to enter aseparator 8 at one side as is best shown in lFlgs. 3 and i a. The dirt is elevated in this pipe and conof standards 9 rising from the floor. The' separator as shown in Fig. 4: has a general at the an hand side.

rectangular shape and the pipe 7 discharges through an opening 10 in the bottom and This opening communicates With a vertical line 11. which discharges at its upper end into a hopper 12 across which the dirt is drawn until it either falls into the hopper or strikes a perforated partition 13 at the opposite end beyond which a second flue 1d leads-to the bottom of the separator at the right hand. side. It is supposed that only the air currents pass through the partition 13, the heavy particles being arrested and falling into the hopper. llnorder to keep the partition free from obstructions a perforated slide 15 is recipro'cated across its face by means of a link 16 having connection there with through a slot 19 in the rear wall of the separator'as shown in Fig. 3. The link is .eccentrically connected to a revolving disk 17 mounted on a shaft 20 which ex- 4 link 16 attached to the slide.

At the bottom of the hopper 12 a transverse agitating wheel 22 is mounted and has its gshaifit 23 projecting through the front we 1 of the separatorand mounting a sprocket wheel 2% which drives the wheel I 18 by means of a sprocket chain 21. A see- 0nd sprocket wheel 25 is fixed on the shaft 23 and is driven by a sprocket chain 26,

which in turn is driven by a counter driving mechanism 27 (Figs. 1 and 3) driven by a sprocket chain 28 operated by a sprocket 29 mounted on the axle 3.

A dischargebox 30 is suspended from the hopper 12 and the latter projects into said box so that a transverse swinging valve 31 will rest against the lower end of the hopper and deflect the discharge into one of apair of spouts 32. These spouts have provision for hanglng sacks 33 thereon into which the dirt is discharged. One man 35. This. pipe leads to a suction fan 37- mounted on the floor 1 and driven by belt 3-8 trout an auxiliary engine 39 also mounted on the floor in adance of the fan which is 10- cated in-tront of the separator. Should fine particles of dirt pass through the partition 13 and arrive at the fan, they will be discharged through a pipe 40 depending from the fan casing through the floor as shown.

The lower end of this pipe is perforated which permits the particles to fall on the street in the path of the main brush 4:.

The gu'tter brush 5is journaled in. the lower end of a yoke-like structure 41 having spring pressed legs 12-tending to exert a downward pressure on the brush and thus hold it in contact with its work. The structure 41 is suspended from a bell-crank lever 43 pivoted on a locking segment 44: mounted on the floor 1 as shown. The brush 5 is driven by a sprocket chain 45 which in turn is driven by a counter gearing 46 mounted onthe frame 2 and operated by a sprocket chain at? which passes about a sprocket wheel 48 mounted on the axle 3.

The main brush 4 is confined in a yokeshaped hanger 4L9 suspended from the weighted end of a lever 50 pivoted on a segment 51 secured on the floor 1" as shown. For revolving the brushfl: a bevel gear 52 .is fixed on rthe axle 3 and meshes with a bevel pinion53 fixed on the upper end of a short vertical shafti55 which is supported in a bracket 54:11101111t92d on the casing of the axle 3. A bevel gear 57 is splined on the shaft within a keeper 56 so as to slide on the shaft. The keeper also forms a bearing for the brush 1 as shown in Fig. l. A

bevel pinion 58 attached to the brush meshes with the gear 57 and is driven thereby. This construction compensates the wear of the brush and also permits the brush to ride over obstructions without interrupting the revolution of the same;

When the machine is not in operation for sweeping the brushes may be'raised by swinging the lever 43 inward and the lever 50 downward. It is to be understood that the parts are to be made with all such minor adjustments, clutches and switches which are common in the art. For holding the brush 4 against longitudinal displacement a brace 59 depends from the frame work of the vehicle and has a loop 60 at its lower end receiving the shaft of the brush and permitting vertical play, but being close enough to the hanger 49 to hold the pinion 58 and gear 57 in mesh.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications and changes as properly come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim, is:

1. In a street sweeper, the combination of a longitudinally arranged gutter brush, an obliquely but horizontally disposed pavement brush, one end of which is in close are proximity to one end of said gutter brush, 3c

"ing arranged obliquely across the a means for revolving 'both brushes, and means for transferring the refuse accumulated by the brushes between the brushes during the movement of the sweeper to a receptacle carried by the sweeper.

2. In a street sweeper, the combination of a pair of revolving brushes carried by the sweeper and operated during the movement of the sweeper, one of said brushes bepath traversed by the sweeper and the other brush having its axis of rotation parallel with the line of travel of the sweeper and extending laterally beyond one end of the oblique brush, said two brushes operating to sweep and collect the refuse in a heap between the brushes, and a suction means operated by the sweeper and arranged to transfer the refuse accumulating between said brushes to a receptacle carried by the sweeper.

In testimony whereof I have signed name to this specification.

WILEY F. ATKINSON. 

